One of the missions listed on this blog is advocating unconventional methods of solving problems. Most of these different ideas have been around for years, some since the earliest times in human history, still, most people don’t use them. There is a human tendency to shy away from anything different, perhaps because of deep rooted impulses to always confront a different situation as danger. All the flags go up?a gigantic prehistoric monster is within ten feet and about to pounce! We react, without thinking, to avoid this attack. These ingrained reactions are difficult to overcome, so we instantly ignore everything that seems different.

 Because this reaction against different is so pervasive, does it not make sense to give yourself an advantage over others by trying things they will not try? The most powerful personal asset we have is our subconscious, a little understood part of our mind. The mention of it usually brings up the term hypnotism. With properly trained practitioners, hypnosis may be useful for treating mental and physical difficulties. But hypnosis is not the only benefit derived from the subconscious. There are almost limitless personal situations where knowledge and training about how to use this incredible ability can give you a serious advantage over all around you. This is a significant article you should read, study, and follow up with all the references given. Your personal prosperity is at stake; do not let this great system we all possess go unused.

 There will be a series of articles about various unconventional problem solutions that can put you way out in front of everyone else, if you use them. A proper discussion of the subconscious includes a book by Joseph Murphy which has meant a lot to me for the last 17 years, since I first found it. I was in a very bad situation with no way I could see to get out. Then I stumbled upon the book reviewed here. A whole new world opened for me; perhaps you will see these ideas as I did, not to be afraid of, but to embrace and constantly search for new ways to use them.

 Book Review: The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

 The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Revised Edition (Mass Market Paperback)

by Joseph Murphy, Revised by Ian McMahan

 List Price $7.99 (Available from Amazon.com for $7.99.)

Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Bantam; Revised edition (January 2, 2001)

ISBN: 0553583182

 This is an important book everyone should read and study several times. Perhaps you won’t be able to use all the ideas explained in it. What each reader must do is pick what may be helpful to them and develop a method around that thought which they can use to further their own objectives. The book is written in a flexible manner so that anyone can adapt the author’s thinking to individual needs.

 The methods explained here really work; at least, they have worked over and over for me since I first read the book 17 years ago. I read an earlier version at the lowest point in my entire life. Two or three friends kept me from drowning, but this book provided me with the framework to rebuild my life. Use of my subconscious allowed me to get through this very bad time.

 Although there are many references to portions of the Holy Bible, and mention of prayerful aspects of the subconscious, this is not a religious book unless you try to construe it that way. My own use of the book was to discover ways some of the information could help my personal needs. Most useful to me have been turning over problems for solutions and using the prayerful aspects of the subconscious to improve the health of someone close to me who was gravely ill.

 Dr. Murphy’s practical application of new principles is subject to all the negative thoughts of the naysayers. Anything new they can’t even consider; from their negative viewpoint they would rather prepare to give up and just accept the ultimate failure of the human life system. It is encouraging that an overwhelming number of reviews on Amazon’s Website are very favorable. Perhaps there really are a few positive people after all.

 Some conservative religious people will also disparage the book. It has many quotes from the Christian bible explained in a far different way than you will get in any mainstream church. But religion is what it is. Those who believe a strict interpretation of the bible and other holy writings will disregard what is taught here. That’s unfortunate because the subconscious is a powerful tool available to all, rich or poor. Application of these principles does not guarantee anything. Nothing in life is certain. The best we can do is use every asset we have to accomplish a happy and prosperous life for us and those we hold dear. Our subconscious is one such powerful asset.

 Dr. Murphy developed the thoughts in The Power of Your Subconscious Mind during 28 years as Minister-Director of the Church of Divine Science. He was a well-known authority on mysticism and mind dynamics. Dr. Murphy had the unique ability to incorporate the teachings and beliefs of major world religions in practical systems anyone can use to improve their daily life.

 A thought repeated often throughout the book is, “For as a person thinketh in his subconscious mind, so is he.” That’s what this book is all about so remember it and we’ll now look at a few ways your subconscious can be a great help in every aspect of your life. You don’t have to use everything, nor do you have to perform every operation exactly as the book describes it. Use the ideas you need and develop your own technique so that it fits your needs.

 Here are a few areas of interest along with actions that go with them:

 The Treasure House Within

• Avoid expressions that begin with “I can’t…”
• Changes in your thinking have the power to change your destiny.

 How Your Mind Works

• Think good, and good follows. Think evil, and evil follows. You are what you think all day long.
• Never say, “I can’t.” Substitute, “I can do all things through the power of my subconscious mind.”

 The Miracle-Working Power of Your Subconscious

• Prior to sleep, turn over a specific request to your subconscious mind and prove its miracle-working power to yourself.
• Consciously affirm: “I believe that the subconscious power that gave me this desire is now fulfilling it through me.”

 Mental Healings in Ancient Times

• All disease originates in the mind.
• There is only one process of healing and that is faith.

 Mental Healings in Modern Times

• Develop a definite plan for turning over your requests or desires to your subconscious mind.
• Believe in perfect health, prosperity, peace, wealth, and divine guidance.

 Practical Techniques in Mental Healings

• Your subconscious will bring to pass any picture held in the mind backed by faith.
• What you decree and feel as true will come to pass.

 The Tendency of the Subconscious is Lifeward

• Your subconscious is the builder of your body and is on the job twenty-four hours a day. You interfere with its life-giving pattern by negative thinking.
• What you affirm consciously and feel as true will be made manifest in your mind, body, and affairs. Affirm the good, and enter into the joy of living.

 How to Get the Results You Want

• Think and plan independently of traditional methods.
• The feeling of health produces health, the feeling of wealth produces wealth. How do you feel?

 How to Use the Power of Your Subconscious for Wealth

• Decide to be wealthy the easy way, with the infallible aid of your subconscious mind.
• The block to wealth is in your own mind. Destroy that block now by getting on good mental terms with everyone.

 Your Right to Be Rich

• One reason many don’t have enough money is they condemn money. What you condemn takes wings and flies away.
• There is no virtue in poverty. It is a disease of the mind. You should heal yourself of this mental conflict or malady at once.

 Your Subconscious Mind as a Partner in Success

• Find out what you love to do, then do it. If you don’t know your true expression, ask for guidance, and the lead will come.
• The power of sustained imagination draws forth the miracle-working powers of your subconscious mind.

 How Scientists Use the Subconscious Mind

• To solve a difficult problem get all the information you can from research and from others. If no solution comes turn the problem over to your subconscious mind prior to sleep and the answer will come.
• Any mental picture, backed by faith and perseverance, will come to pass through the miracle-working power of your subconscious.

 Your Subconscious and the Wonders of Sleep

• Your future is in your mind now, based on your habitual thinking and beliefs.
• When writing, working on an invention, or some other complicated project, speak to your subconscious mind at night and claim boldly that its wisdom, intelligence, and power are revealing to you the perfect solution. Expect wonders.

 Your Subconscious Mind and Marital Problems

• Project love, peace, harmony, and goodwill and your marriage will grow more beautiful and wonderful through the years.
• Pray together and you will stay together.

 Your Subconscious Mind and Your Happiness

• You can rise victorious over any defeat and realize the desires of your heart though the marvelous power of your subconscious mind.
• Give thanks for all your blessings several times a day.

 Your Subconscious Mind and Harmonious Human Relations

• Do not think ill of another for to do so is to think ill of yourself.
• The good you do, the kindness proffered, the love and good you send forth will all come back to you multiplied in many ways. Another person cannot annoy you or irritate you except if you permit them to.

 How to Use Your Subconscious Mind for Forgiveness

• God, or Life, does not judge or punish you. You do this to yourself by the subconscious effects of your false beliefs, negative thinking, and self-condemnation.
• When you pray for guidance and right action, take what comes. Realize life is very good and there is no cause for self-pity, criticism, or hatred.

 How Your Subconscious Removes Mental Blocks

• You form subconscious habit patterns by repeating a thought or action over and over until it establishes tracks in your subconscious mind and becomes automatic.
• The only obstacle to your success and achievement is your own thought or mental image.

 How to Use Your Subconscious Mind to Remove Fear

• Do the thing you are afraid to do and the death of fear is certain.
• Fear is a negative thought in your mind. Replace it with a constructive thought.

 How to Stay Young in Spirit Forever

• You are as young, as strong, and as useful as you think you are.
• You grow old when you cease to dream and when you lose interest in life.

  It may save you some time to know which parts I have found most helpful during the last 17 years and still today:

 The Miracle-Working Power of Your Subconscious

• Practical Techniques in Mental Healings
• Your Subconscious and the Wonders of Sleep
• Your Subconscious Mind and Your Happiness

 These additional techniques are ones I think will be most important for me to develop and help me achieve my own personal goals. Perhaps they will help you, as well.

 Practical Techniques in Mental Healings

• Your subconscious will bring to pass any picture held in the mind backed by faith.
• What you decree and feel as true will come to pass.

 How to Get the Results You Want

• Think and plan independently of traditional methods.
• The feeling of health produces health, the feeling of wealth produces wealth. How do you feel?

 How to Use the Power of Your Subconscious for Wealth

• Decide to be wealthy the easy way, with the infallible aid of your subconscious mind.
• The block to wealth is in your own mind. Destroy that block now by getting on good mental terms with everyone.

 Your  Right to Be Rich

• One reason many don’t have enough money is they condemn money. What you condemn takes wings and flies away.
• There is no virtue in poverty. It is a disease of the mind. You should heal yourself of this mental conflict or malady at once.

 This last subconscious ability is important to every one of us, especially now. Do you realize we are flirting with another Great Depression, which lasted 12 years, and only ended with World War II? The entire economic stage is in constant change right now, and nobody knows what may happen. Whatever the future may bring, it will be different. There may or may not be jobs available—those that are there could require a different kind of training, and they may pay nothing close to previous jobs. This begs the question, “What can I do, in such circumstances, to protect my income and my family?”

 We’re advocating a home based business, or other small business operation. There are many thingsyou can do in such a business. You need to have a passion for what you are doing. After working at a real job for years, how will you find a business you can successfully operate? Look at every idea you like. Don’t try to do exactly as others are doing. Put your personality and your knowledge of the idea to work. Find something about the idea that everyone else has missed. When you do you will succeed. Go out on a limb.  Stop worrying about how to make money for someone else.  Find something you like to do that people will pay for, and make your own way.  With the Internet, it’s easier than ever. Forget Corporate America.  Every single company out there would like for you to give them all of your entire life for free!  That’s a fact.  They only grudgingly pay because they have to.

 One home based business opportunity you should explore is Strong Future International (SFI), free to join, but offering many income streams, just like all wealthy people have. See how SFI can help you http://ow.ly/oyUZ.

Tags: corporate america, faith, family, fear, free to join, great depression, holy bible, home based business, home based business opportunity, hypnosis, income, income streams, jobs, love, marital problems, mind, miracle-working, money, peace, rich, sleep, stay young, subconscious, unconventional, wealthy people

“My job just went away. Now I have all the time I want to do whatever I want. Oh Boy, I’ve been laid off!” Unfortunately, for most employees that’s not how it goes. With the need for multiple wage earners in the home loss of a job is a catastrophe. A layoff is more likely today than it has ever been. Years ago an infrequent mass layoff of workers might occur when a business went bankrupt and there have always been seasonal temporary layoffs. I once worked for a company where there was a lot of overtime early in each year to prepare for Christmas sales. Then, come October or November, many employees were out of work until after the New Year. It seemed these workers became used to this schedule and actually welcomed the time off during the Holiday Season.

 

Now unexpected terminal layoffs have become a normal business practice. In addition to the old bankruptcy and seasonal issues you have worker reduction to improve operating income, as a result of downsizing, or outsourcing work to other companies. This attitude used to be a move of last resort for CEOs, something they really disliked because there was some loyalty to their workers. With increasing pressure from stockholders for bottom line results and faced with all these other new issues, terminating workers is now considered by most top managers as something you just do. Regardless of what companies say about valuing their employees there is no more loyalty to them. Job security is no more for those who work for any company large or small.

 

To get an idea about what is going on in your workplace read these three books about working for others— you won’t want to after reading any one of these:

 

Uchitelle, Louis. The Disposable American: Layoffs and Their Consequences. Vintage.

LeRoy, Greg. The Great American Jobs Scam. Berrett-Koehler.

Bogle, John C. The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism. Yale University Press.

 

Among the ideas in these books is that top managers now mostly look at themselves as successful leaders who deal with the situation as it actually is at any time. This means they are no longer averse to layoffs at any time to improve financial position. In the past, managers often tried to avoid anything as drastic as a layoff in hopes things may change in the near future. Now they see things as bad right now and disregard what may or may not happen down the road. This is a major cause of increasing job insecurity.

 

Another consequence is that a layoff for most people is a tremendous blow to a person’s ego and lowers self-worth. A layoff cuts them loose from their foundations and often they never completely regain a satisfactory new sense of themselves. The elaborate ideas of recent years involving “lifetime learning” are mostly developed to soothe anger and frustration of workers subject to layoffs. Whatever skills are learned are usually of no value to local job openings.

 

Our materialistic view of the world where we all want the best for ourselves and our families, and we want it right now, has made all employees who work for others something close to a slave of former days. Two articles in the April, 2004, issue of Fast Company Magazine discuss the personal tragedies of a group of employees caught in the outsourcing flood which was big news at that time and is still a factor in layoffs. If you read “Into Thin Air” and “Look Into Their Eyes” in this issue of the magazine you will see the devastation brought to 40 people. Nine of them were still unemployed after a year. In this situation they were actually living in conditions worse than when slaves were the property of owners. At least the slave owners fed them, furnished a place to live, and took care of them if they became ill. Now when you lose your job you have lost your home, your health insurance, and your ability to feed yourself and your family.

 

Dependence on your employer gets worse as you begin to near retirement. A Merrill Lynch survey released in May, 2004, shows why people enslave themselves to employers for life. 54% of those surveyed say they intend to continue working at some level after age 65 purely for financial reasons. In addition, what happens if they are forced to retire because of some disabling disease? What about the ever-increasing cost of health care as we grow older? The survey showed average accumulated savings is $51,000! That’s not much if you live into your ‘80s or ‘90s as you are expected to do. This is why most are terror stricken when that pink slip comes.

 

What can you do to survive losing your job? Here  are some ideas about defensive actions you can take. CNN Money says to be aware of what is happening around you. This is kind of like the Homeland Security admonition to be aware of your surroundings. Some handwriting on the wall clues would be expense reduction programs, a freeze on hiring, reducing travel, resignations of managers in your company, and seeing your competitors doing the same things. Any of these could be an indication of bad things to come. When you detect any of these actions, recognize it is time to change careers; you should immediately begin looking for another place to work (you ought to be doing this from your first moment at any new job, and never stop). In addition, begin to gather everything you know about all your contacts and your network of friends and business associates. When you get the bad news be sure to not burn any bridges behind you; everyone could be a link to a new job!

 

After your job is over you will be faced with psychological problems as well as financial difficulty. This may be overwhelming but there are things you can do to get going again. A quite different view of a layoff is to consider it as a sabbatical! The dictionary defines a sabbatical as “any extended period of leave from one’s customary work, esp. for rest, to acquire new skills or training, etc.” This is exactly what you need to do: step back and review your personal skills and abilities, then think about ways you can use what you have to move forward with your life. You don’t have to take a trip. With no job you can just as well do that at home. The important thing is to develop goals for your sabbatical and always keep your hopes alive. It may seem like the end of the world but eventually things will work for you.

 

Keep faith in yourself; we all have a tremendous ability to survive and everyone can emerge against great odds to ultimately be successful. People who emerge from extreme adversity, like a  layoff, have the ability to rebound, they have enough strength to withstand adverse conditions, and they have the wisdom to learn from mistakes. These people will persevere, focus on their new life, and quickly move on to better things.

 

Rather than concentrating only on working for another company, and risk a layoff again in the future, you should also consider the opportunity to become self-employed, especially in one of the home jobs available. See if having your own business will be good for you, meaning you must research all the risks and benefits, good and bad. Then decide what you want your life to be? If you want regular hours with no weekends you may decide you are not cut out to be an entrepreneur. Should you decide to start your own business try to get into an industry you know something about or at least one that is of interest to you—it is imperative for you to be passionate about what you do. While doing your research you need to remain objective which could be hard after a layoff. Talk to others outside your immediate family; use local resources like community college and knowledgeable friends. They will help you avoid mistakes from being too close to your situation.

 

Now look at an example of how new jobs can be developed for home based entrepreneurs. Placer Dome Mining Company took a unique approach when forced to terminate employment for 2,500 employees at its South African mine. They put a lot of effort into locating these former employees who dispersed to their homes all over South Africa. They wanted to find these people and bring them into a program designed to place 70% of them back into gainful employment. In addition to regular job placement counseling, Placer Dome developed a small business training program figuring a business of their own would be a wonderful opportunity after a layoff. Some of the home based businesses developed included electronics repair, local vegetable growing, and small markets (sort of like convenience stores) within the home to save people from having to walk miles to the nearest store. The fact that people from this poverty-prone area could come up with these ideas and make them work speaks much for the entrepreneurial spirit that lurks within us all. It often just needs the shock of a job termination to let it loose. This is why a layoff is YOUR OPPORTUNITY.

 

Entrepreneur Magazine, in a December, 2006, article “A New Chapter, Why Retire,” discusses more positive results after a layoff:

 

There was a 60-year old man who always wanted his own business but could never do it because his wife was adamant about a “real job” with a regular paycheck. She died before his layoff so she never knew the truth about “real jobs.” Termination of his job gave this man the opportunity he had always wanted—after thorough research he took a chance, put up most of his financial assets, and bought into a franchise which worked just fine for him. It was too early for him to retire and when the paycheck stopped what other choice did he really have? You see, there is often OPPORTUNITY IN A LAYOFF.

 

And here is the story of a 43 year old woman who had worked for a number of businesses and they all ended up going out of business or terminating her employment for unknown reasons. She finally realized that all those years were spent receiving praise for her good work but without realizing one penny of reward for herself. Another example of the opportunity provided by a layoff, it gave her the chance to step back, look at her past life, and realize all her disappointments had finally given her the chance and the courage to go into her own franchise business.

 

Our last example is about the man who spent 25 years as a successful regional VP of a national fast food chain. His pink slip came after a successful quarter for his region and was entirely unexpected with no reason given. That would be quite a jolt for anyone. He did what every person in that situation should do—he talked to a knowledgeable acquaintance who was outside the immediate situation. This person advised him to get away from the corporate world (always good advice if you can do it). He decided to run a fitness center and now looks at his layoff, although for reasons unknown, as the means to get him out of his comfort zone and showed him he has better things to do by changing careers.

 

About 12% of the people who were laid off because of the outsourcing we previously discussed did start to work for themselves. Unfortunately they all seemed dissatisfied because of what they consider as the insecurity of running their own business. Wouldn’t it have been much better if they had begun a home based business on the side years ago? They would have been able to learn how to operate their business comfortably rather than being rudely dumped into the situation of having to do something they really don’t like.

 

The fact is we must all work  at something to survive (or be born wealthy). We have seen that today most of us want too much and save too little to get away from the self-imposed slavery of work. Some people will look at self-employment as just another spin on slavery. My answer is, “Isn’t it a lot better for the profits you earn as a slave to go to you as the slave master than giving a large part of it to an uncaring slave owner?”

 

If you should have your job terminated don’t view it as a disaster. Step back, take a long view of your life from what it was to what you would like for it to be, seek reliable advice, and find out everything you can about the possible opportunities ahead for you. Even after you do this always begin to look for better jobs even if you are working for yourself. You may see a niche you can operate alongside a “real job” or in addition to your own business. The point is you must never become complacent and think you are in the best place you can be. There is always something better.

 

A layoff can be exactly what you need to put yourself in another gear outside your comfort zone and really achieve the great things you want from your life.

Tags: careers, christmas, ego, employment, entrepreneur, franchise, health insurance, home based, home jobs, job, job security, jobs, layoff, new jobs, outsourcing, sabbatical, self-employed, self-worth